1. Field of the Invention
The invention herein pertains to a device which visually signals freezing temperatures for motorists and others.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Objectives of the Invention
Vehicle accidents escalate in areas when temperatures suddenly drop below freezing on roads and highways. Water which remains on or reaches roadways can suddenly freeze and turn a harmless condition into a hazard for unsuspecting motorists, causing vehicles to slide or carom out of control. Drivers that frequently drive in icy conditions generally do so in a cautious, deliberate manner. However, unsuspecting drivers that suddenly encounter icy or freezing conditions may lose control of the vehicles, causing severe accidents and death. Pilots, joggers, skiers and others can also benefit from the knowledge of current temperature conditions.
Transportation departments and municipalities have used signs of various types in the past to warn of icing road conditions in an effort to alert motorists. However, such signs are not necessarily controlled by the weather conditions, i.e., such are controlled by workers observing the weather conditions. Thus, if a "ROAD ICING" sign is in place beside a road for an extended period after the icing conditions have temporarily ceased, drivers become desensitized to such signs and pay little or no attention to them. This creates a potential problem if the road freezes suddenly for an unsuspecting driver.
Thus with the foregoing problems and disadvantages of conventional warning devices, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide a freezing weather indicator for motorists or others which is controlled by the actual weather conditions or temperature.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a freezing weather indicator and method which can be readily placed in service along roads, highways, intersections and the like by relatively unskilled personnel.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a freezing weather indicator which is clearly visible by motorists and other passersby.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a freezing weather indicator which can be constructed with relatively few moving parts and easily maintained.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a compact, self-contained structure for providing a visual indication of freezing weather conditions.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a freezing weather indicator which utilizes a fluid container which includes a liquid which expands during freezing.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a freezing indicator and method whereby a brightly colored sphere is movable from a hidden to an exposed position for freezing temperature indication.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description of the invention is set forth below.